Prof. Dr. Ir. Erik Poelman

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Professor in Community Ecology of Plant–Insect Interactions, Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands

Prof. Erik Poelman leads a research group that investigates how plants and insects interact within complex ecological communities. His work explores how plants defend themselves against the diverse insect species they host, how insect communities are shaped, and how insect behaviour adapts to the ecological networks surrounding them. This fundamental understanding is essential for developing sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in which plant traits and ecological interactions help maintain pest populations below economic thresholds and reduce reliance on pesticides.

His research focuses on the mechanisms and community-wide effects of plant-induced responses to herbivory. These responses trigger indirect interaction networks involving herbivores, parasitoids, hyperparasitoids, pollinators, and other members of the plant–insect community. Prof. Poelman’s vision is that these plant-mediated interactions play a key role in structuring insect communities, influencing plant fitness, and shaping the evolution of plant traits.

His current projects integrate ecological, chemical, genomic, and modelling approaches and address insect community ecology, plant defence under multi-herbivory, growth–defence strategies, parasitoid behaviour, and hyperparasitoid ecology. Trained originally as a vertebrate ecologist, he has also worked on the taxonomy and reproductive biology of poison frogs, which continues to influence his teaching and ecological perspective.

Keynote Lecture:
Biological Control in Open-Field Crops: Inspiration for Greenhouse Biological Control

He will explore how insights from open-field biological control can inform and inspire innovative approaches in greenhouse systems, highlighting the ecological principles and plant–insect interactions that support resilient and effective pest management.